


Dandelions

by AwkwardWizardShipper



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Blade of Marmora Keith (Voltron), Canon Compliant, Farmer Lance (Voltron), Fluff and Angst, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Idiots in Love, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Mutual Pining, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:34:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28931073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwkwardWizardShipper/pseuds/AwkwardWizardShipper
Summary: [I'm in a field of dandelionsWishing on every one that you'll be mineAnd I see forever in your eyes]The happy ending we were all hoping for.
Relationships: Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Allura/Lance (mentioned), Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Kudos: 33





	Dandelions

**Author's Note:**

> Based on Dandelions - Ruth B.

A day was never dull with the Blade of Marmora, but the missions Keith was assigned were strenuous and demanding. 

Despite his love for the rebel group of Galra, time like this would always be his favourite. The ticklish grass beneath his fingers, tucked away under the largest tree on the earth farm, Lance’s farm. 

Keith had just arrived from a two-month-long mission, having been sitting in the shade for at most an hour. It was embarrassing how fast he had gone outside, still outfitted in his BoM uniform. The impatience to see his friend unwavering. Until he had gotten outside at least. Of course, Lance had been working. He still was, which was why Keith reassured himself that merely watching the other man rather than going to him and making conversation was perfectly normal. Sane even! It was not. 

He was wasting time, gnawing away on his now uncovered thumb, his uniforms glove laying idly beside him. 

Lance hadn’t even noticed Keith was there, too enraptured in his thoughts and work to look at his surroundings. It was endearing, to say the least, how he could get so focused on tending to the multitude of juniberry flowers and dandelions that had been threatening to take the field captive, according to Lance’s mom at least. She had told Keith all about it as he put his bag in the guest house, gushing at his arrival. At some point, having taken a liking to the Galra, which he simply could not understand.

So there he sat, in a field of dandelions and juniberry flowers, eyes tracking the sweat-ridden bareback and neck of Lance. Swallowing wholly whenever the man would unconsciously flex the now firm muscles. And somehow, even in the shade, the sweltering heat still took him whole. Lance’s back must have been made of metal to be capable of emitting that much warmth. 

The paladins made it a habit to visit one another as often as possible, despite their different life paths now. However, it was an unspoken truth that Lance and Keith, by far, saw each other the most. Keith had no idea when it started or what shifted to cause it, but as the years went on, he found himself seeking out the tanned man with cataclysmic blue eyes. More often than not, finding a temporary home at the farm. Close to the person who plagued almost all his dreams. 

While it was always Keith making the trip down to Earth, the Galra didn’t seem to mind. He knew Lance still had a hard time even thinking about going back to space, back to a place that Allura had been, so he wouldn’t push being met half-way. Keith also knew that Lance was in no way weakened by his feelings for the white-haired beauty. He is still strong as ever, confidence beyond belief, and he still managed to flash that blinding smile. 

Even though Lance missed Allura, which Keith knew for a fact that he did and would continue to every day, as the whole team did. The farmer still made it a point to dedicate his time towards tending to the juniberry flowers, Allura’s flowers. 

Keith squeezed his eyes shut at the thought of her, one of his dearest friends, trying to fight back the wave of tears. His memories of her wavered as he heard barking coming closer and closer. Opening his eyes just in time to see Kosmo bounding towards him, well, not exactly. He could see the flash of a familiar silver-blue fur running away from Kosmos and directly at Keith. 

“Kosmo no!” was all he could shout before Blue, Lance’s Russian Blue cat, pounced on his chest, hiding beneath his hair that needed a cut. The large space dog tried to halt his stride but ultimately failed and crashed into Keith. 

A wheeze of pain escaped Keith’s lips as he was rammed into the rough tree trunk, and it was then that Lance had finally noticed the other’s presence, running over to check on Keith. Crouching down beside the Galra, a look of both concern and amusement on his face as Blue and Kosmo bounded off. 

“You okay?” his honey-laced voice echoed in Keith’s ringing ears, and all he could do was look up helplessly for a few moments, their eyes meeting. 

Keith got up from his crumpled position on the scratchy grass-covered ground beneath him with Lance’s help, nodding. 

“I didn’t even know you had gotten here. When did you get in?” 

“Just a while ago. You seemed busy, and I wanted to relax in the sun anyways,” Keith had shrugged. Averting his gaze from Lance’s eyes because Keith knew if he looked too long, he would be stuck in a trance for eternity. 

“I’m never too busy to welcome one of my best friends back from, what? A three-month-long mission?” 

“Two months…” 

“Well, it felt like three.” 

Keith couldn’t help but smile at that, his heart-tugging at the thought that just maybe Lance missed him almost as much as Keith had. 

“How has the farm been? The fields look good,” 

“Ah, you know, same old same old, Shiro and Adam came down just a couple weeks ago and helped with some towing. Adam actually had some pretty helpful tips with the soil when the dry season hits,” 

Lance continued to ramble about the farm, and even though Keith was silent the whole time, he couldn’t help but listen intently to the man before him. Nodding along and laughing, an ache taking hold of Keith’s chest as Lance excitedly led him through the fields, the juniberry flowers brushing his BoM uniform-clad ankles. He should have changed. 

———

Usually, Keith would only stay at Lance’s farm for a week, but from the insistence of both the tanned boy and his mother, Keith had caved to staying for two weeks. Not that it was a hard decision to make, especially after being faced with the irresistible pout on Lance’s face. Those lips could sway the stars themselves to move with a simple smile, and Keith wouldn’t blame them one bit. 

It had been a week and a half since Keith had arrived on the McClain farm. Despite Lance’s urging for Keith to take it easy during his vacation, the other was a busy body and refused to sit by idly as Lance worked so hard. 

Dirt had weaved its way underneath Keith’s fingernails, causing a rough and grimy feeling to overtake his hands. Still, he continued pulling out weeds just the same. Using his arm to wipe away any sweat that had formed on his forehead, he was in dire need of a shower after this. 

As the thought of a shower crossed his mind, a tap on his bare shoulder startled him, looking over only to see Lance holding two lemonades. That unfaltering smile on his face like always, fighting back any worries that Keith may have been harbouring. Ebbing them away like a sun that inevitably sets.

“Break time?” 

Keith smiled, nodding as he got up from his place on the ground, leaving a dirt mould shaped like his knees that would stay there until rain came. 

They sat under a tree, Kosmo on Lance’s lap, his head flopped across the farmer’s legs, tongue lolled out happily as Lance rubbed the space dog’s belly. Keith should’ve been jealous that his own dog obviously liked Lance better than him at times, but in all honesty, he was more jealous of the fact that Kosmo was getting more of Lance’s attention than he was. He sipped bitterly at his lemonade with that thought, to be jealous of a dog, how petty. 

Maybe if he had the guts to express his feelings for the farmer, they wouldn’t have this problem. He could be the one resting his head on the other’s lap, staring up at those endless pools of blue eyes. Pidge had even called him the night before on their Olkari Cubes, scolding his cowardice, and he knew they were right, but he couldn’t muster up the courage to _tell_ Lance. 

Tell the man that he adored that he did, in fact, adore him. More than his job, more than the stars he got to pass during his missions that used to hold more comfort than possible, but now Lance had taken the stars place. Becoming Keith’s comfort without even knowing it. Keith could lay in the field of juniberry flowers and dandelions, wishing Lance could be his for as long as he wanted. But nothing would change if he didn’t tell Lance. 

Could he, though? Subject Lance to processing his muddled feelings? To force the other to consider that maybe being friends wasn’t all they could be to one another? Keith felt selfish; was he seriously thinking of replacing Allura’s place in Lance’s heart? 

Pidge insisted that Lance wouldn’t see it that way, that _Allura_ would never see it that way. But he couldn’t be sure. 

“Keith?” 

“Hmm?” Keith had gotten lost in his thoughts again. It was a common occurrence when he was near Lance. He’d turned to give his full attention to the other, only to notice that Lance’s face was a lot closer than Keith had anticipated. He bolted back quickly, face flushing as he uttered out a lighting-fast apology. 

“Why are you apologizing? It’s my fault for invading your personal space. I’ve been trying to get better at that, I swear,” 

_Don’t._

_Come closer._

_Please._

“It’s okay, what’s up?” Keith swallowed, willing himself to face Lance once again, praying to the gods that his face was not beet red. 

“You’d just zoned out. What were you thinking about?” 

_You._

_It’s always you._

_It always has been._

Of course, Keith didn’t say that, excusing his lack of attention for tiredness, and while it was obvious Lance didn’t buy it, he dropped the topic just the same. However, sometimes while Keith had zoned out, Lance had shifted closer, his arm now flush against Keith’s. It felt hot against his own, as though wax was melting against his flesh, but he refused to move. 

———

The night before Keith would leave for his next BoM mission that Lance had knocked on the guesthouse door. This was a common occurrence, an unspoken rule they had with one another. That Lance would come and spend the night with Keith, whether it be playing cards until they passed out or talking the whole night. 

When Keith had opened the door, the smile on his face had vanished in an instant as he was faced with a bristling look on Lance’s face. 

“When were you going to tell me?”

_Shit._

“Lance, let me explain-” 

“No! How are you going to explain not telling me, your best friend, that this mission you are going on is a year-long?!” 

“I was going to tell you-” 

“When? When you were riding off on your motorcycle? Like ‘Oh yeah, see you in a year, buddy!’ What the actual fuck Keith!” 

Keith shrunk, knowing that Lance had every right to be angry, furious, absolutely livid with him. He felt like shit because Lance was right, Keith was going to tell him just before he drove off because he was a coward, and there was no excusing that. 

“I’m sorry-” 

“Don’t apologize! Just- fuck, why didn’t you tell me? I can’t- I could’ve, we could’ve-” all of Lance’s words were cut off, his mind visibly spiralling as he tried to figure out what to say. 

“Could’ve what? Even if I did tell you sooner, I would still be gone for a whole year. I didn’t want you to think of our time together as temporary until I was gone,” 

“That’s selfish, and you know it! I wouldn’t have taken it for granted, I would’ve…” 

Keith sighed, sitting down at the settee with his head in his hands. He didn’t want to hear this. He’d wanted one last fun night before he had to leave Lance for a whole fucking year. Now it was just going to be a fight, which, honestly? He deserved it. 

“What am I going to do for a whole year without you?” The tremble in Lance’s voice is what caused Keith to look up, his heart hurting from just seeing the pure dismay on Lance’s face. 

“You’ll be fine; Shiro and Adam will visit. Even Coran, Hunk and Pidge will come down at times-” 

“It’s not the same!” 

“Lance-” 

“No! I need... I want you!” His face was flushed, but now Keith couldn’t tell if it was still from anger or not. 

He stilled visibly, looking at Lance with a horrified look on his face. 

_No._

_Not like this._

_Please, don’t._

_Not now._

“Lance, don’t-” 

“Don’t what?” Crazed laughter bubbled up and out of Lance’s mouth as though it had boiled over in a pot. It was never a good laugh, and Keith could counter that even Lance’s bad laughs were gorgeous. 

“Please, I can’t… you can’t-” 

“Can’t what? Love you?” 

Keith groaned, caving in on himself. He felt like an absolute idiot—a true moron. 

“Do you not?...” Lance’s voice was laced with insecurity, and Keith couldn’t bear it. Striding forward from his spot on the settee and tugging Lance into a bone-crushing hug without a second thought. 

“Of course I do, I always have. I just- I didn’t know you did, I thought…” 

Lance backed away slightly so that he could press his forehead against Keith’s. Releasing a shaky breath that tickled Keith’s lips and made him practically keen at the feeling. 

“I’m sorry-”

“You should be! We could’ve spent our time doing something other than pulling out weeds for two weeks!” The huff that left Lance had Keith laughing weakly, his hold on Lance’s waist tightening. 

“Like what?” 

The night was filled with laughter, tears, and ruffled sheets that Lance had expressed would get him in shit with his mom despite being twenty-four. 

———

Departing the morning after had both of them shattered to their cores, whispers of adoration and promises leaving Keith and Lance’s lips as they embraced for the last time. 

“You better come right back to me as soon as you’re done.” 

“I promise.” 

It was only when Keith was long gone on his motorcycle that he realized he’d never actually said the words ‘ _I love you_ ’ to Lance, and he would regret it for the next year. Because it just wasn’t the same over Olkari Cube calls. 

———

It had been a month since Lance had last heard from Keith, the month before he was meant to come home, to him. Lance’s nerves were going crazy. They had been since the first three days of complete radio-silence, but now? He might as well be committed into the psych ward. Veronica had said as much to him when he proceeded to complain to her, day in and day out.

Today was the day Keith was meant to arrive, and Lance was waiting anxiously, praying to the gods that they would bring Keith back to him. 

Thankfully, he didn’t have to pray for long before he was graced with the beautiful sound of a motorcycle somewhere on the property. His mind reeling, trying not to trip over his own feet as he bounded towards the rattling noise. 

Lance’s heart burst as he spotted Keith tugging off his helmet, peering around the farm in hopes of seeing the farmer, who he spotted only moments later. 

“Oh, thank god,” was all Lance could utter before they were both racing to each other. His arms quickly sought purchase on Keith’s BoM uniform-clad shoulder blades and tugged Keith closer to him.

“I’m so sorry, Kolivan stepped on my Olkari Cube and broke it so I couldn’t contact you! I feel terrible-” 

Lance could only snort out a laugh before cutting off Keith’s apologetic words by starting a lip bruising kiss, the fervour clear in his actions. His calloused fingers weaving through Keith’s outgrown hair as he revelled in the exchange.

“I missed you,” Lance had breathed out, his voice wavering as the overwhelming feeling of completeness took him over. 

“I prayed that you would come back to me,” he continued as Keith pressed feather-light kisses to his face. 

“And I wished you’d still be here and mine.” 

So there they stood, in a field of dandelions and juniberry flowers, no longer having to pray and wish for the other to be theirs.


End file.
